Rotary guard for surface treating machines

ABSTRACT

According to the invention, there is provided, in or for a surface treating machine, such as a floor polisher or a hand-held sander, a shield for preventing damage to obstructions adjacent the surface being treated. This shield may consist of a ring of soft material mounted for relative rotation on a rotatable attachment so as to remain stationary if the rotating attachment encounters an obstruction.

United States Patent Robbins et al.

[ Feb. 5, 1974 ROTARY GUARD FOR SURFACE TREATING MACHINES Inventors:John Lyndon Robbins, London;

Samuel Douglas Bridge, Marlborough, both of England Assignee: R. G.Dixon & Company Limited,

Wembley, England Filed: Mar. 28, 1972 Appl. No.: 238,796

Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 29, 1971 Great Britain 8,096/71June 28, 1971 Great Britain.... 30,210/71 July 20, 1971 Great Britain33,909/71 U.S. Cl 51/274, 15/49, 51/177 Int. Cl B24b 55/04 Field ofSearch..... 51/177, 274; 15/49 R, 50 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 773,436 10/1904 Tangerman15/49 R 2,222,835 11/1940 Gambardella 51/177 X Primary Examiner0thell M.Simpson Assistant ExaminerNich0las P. Godili Attorney, Agent, orFirmBarlow & Barlow 5 7 ABSTRACT According to the invention, there isprovided, in or for a surface treating machine, such as a floor polisheror a hand-held sander, a shield for preventing damage to obstructionsadjacent the surface being treated. This shield may consist of a ring ofsoft material mounted for relative rotation on a rotatable attachment soas to remain stationary if the rotating attachment encounters anobstruction.

3 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure ROTARY GUARD FOR SURFACE TREATING MACHINESThis invention relates to surface treating machines of the rotatingtype, i.e., in which one or more brushes or other attachments rotateabout a vertical axis or axes while in contact with a floor or othersurface to be treated, e.g. scrubbed, polished, sanded, buffed orotherwise conditioned.

According to the present invention, a brush or other attachment for afloor or other surface treating machine of the rotating type is providedwith a shield to prevent contact of the brush or other attachmentagainst wall or other obstructions, the shield being mounted on thesupporting back of the brush or other attachment and free to rotaterelative thereto so that it can remain stationary in contact with anobstruction while the brush or other attachment continues to rotate.

The invention will be further described with reference to theaccompanying drawing, which drawing is a sectional view of part of abrush back incorporating a buffer according to a preferred form of theinvention.

The drawing shows part of a brush back 1 of a floor treating machinewhich is horizontal in use and adapted to rotate about a vertical axis.Bristles of a polishing pad or the like will normally be attached to thelower surface of the brush back 1 so as to be in contact with the flooras the brush back rotates. A backing ring 3, in the form of an aluminumextrusion, is bent round the periphery completely. The backing ring 3has a lower flange 3a and is securely mounted on the brush back 1.

A securing ring 2 is secured on the upper surface of the brush back bymeans of screws 2a and projects beyond the backing ring 3. A shield 5,in the form of an extrusion in polyvinylchlorideor other plasticsmaterial, is formed into a ring and butt jointed and is stretched and/orbonded onto a slip ring 4, which is itself an extrusion of nylon orother anti-friction material also formed into a ring and butt jointed.

The slip ring 4 has two inward extensions 4a which are in slidingcontact with the backing ring 3, and the assembly of buffer and slipring 4 is retained on the backing ring 3 by the securing ring 2 and theflange 30.

It will be appreciated that when the brush back 1 is rotating about avertical axis, the shield 5 will normally rotate with it, but on contactwith a wall or other construction such as an article of furniture, theshield will be braked by such contact and the brush back will continueto rotate.

A similar type of shield may be provided on rotary surface treatingmachines of types other than floor treating machines, such as hand-heldsanding or buffing machines, so that obstructions on adjacent surfacessteeply inclined or perpendicular to the surface being treated are notso susceptible to damage by the machine.

It will be seen that the possibility of marking or damaging the wall orfurniture or work pieces is very much reduced by provision of theslipping shield.

Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A floor or other surface treating machine of the rotary typecomprising a rotary brush having a brush back rotatably attached to saidmachine, said bruch back being cylindrical, a shielding means mounted toextend about the periphery of said brush back, said shielding meanscomprising a backing ring mounted on the periphery of said back with aflange extending radially outward from the lower edge thereof, a slipring of anti friction material received on and engaging the periphery ofthe backing ring and being free to rotate relative to the brush backwherein the shielding means may remain stationary against an obstructionor in rolling contact with the obstruction while the brush backcontinues to rotate at operating speed.

2. An article as claimed in claim 1, in which a ring of elastomermaterial is mounted in said slip ring.

3. An article as claimed in claim 1, in which the slip ring hasextension surfaces in sliding engagement with the backing ring.

1. A floor or other surface treating machine of the rotary typecomprising a rotary brush having a brush back rotatably attached to saidmachine, said bruch back being cylindrical, a shielding means mounted toextend about the periphery of said brush back, said shielding meanscomprising a backing ring mounted on the periphery of said back with aflange extending radially outward from the lower edge thereof, a slipring of anti friction material received on and engaging the periphery ofthe backing ring and being free to rotate relative to the brush backwherein the shielding means may remain stationary against an obstructionor in rolling contact with the obstruction while the brush backcontinues to rotate at operating speed.
 2. An article as claimed inclaim 1, in which a ring of elastomer material is mounted in said slipring.
 3. An article as claimed in claim 1, in which the slip ring hasextension surfaces in sliding engagement with the backing ring.